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Accused killer's confession may not reach jury

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Angel Luis Perez's own word could come back to haunt him in front of a jury.

Perez is set to go to trial next week. In court Wednesday morning, Perez's attorney, Michael Peacock tried his best to minimize the damage to his client's confessions to police.

"The court is well aware of the confessions and statements made," said Peacock.

Hillsborough Judge Michelle Sisco agreed portions of those statements will be redacted and not shared with the jury.

Detectives say in December of 2014, Perez shot and killed three people: His girlfriend, his brother-in-law, and his brother in-law's girlfriend.

It was all supposedly over a custody dispute.

Investigators say the murders happened in front of his 3-year-old nephew.

Last summer, Perez wanted to skip a trial and plead guilty while the state's death penalty was in limbo. Judge Sisco didn't expect this case to ever be heard by a jury.

"Six to seven months ago the defendant was begging me to let him enter a plea when the defense's position was there was no death penalty in the state of Florida through counsel begging at entering a plea to get life," said Judge Sisco.

But the state dropped the death penalty in this case and Perez had a change of heart and will take his chances with a jury. Jury selection begins Monday.